De Novo
by rachyzord
Summary: The last in the Diana and Lex trilogy. Diana returns to Metropolis for the first time in two years....


**Chapter I: Arrivals**

She breathed in the cold Metropolis air. It was December and snow covered the ground and icicles hung from shop awnings. She paused to point them out to her traveling companion, who glanced up briefly and watched the Christmas lights that glinted through them.

They continued on at a leisurely pace. A tug on her hand pulled Diana's attention away from the streetcorner Santas and she saw that her companion had taken a tumble in the snow.

A small chuckle escaped her and she knelt down to brush the snow away.

A few ribbons of red hair protruded from the small window opening between the thick snowsuit and scarf that reached up to the bridge of her nose.

"Too much?" Diana asked. "It's my first real snow too."

Twenty days left until Christmas. The city was in full holiday cheer. Diana enjoyed Christmas but this year it meant something even more than usual. Two weeks after Christmas would mark her traveling companion's second birthday.

Two years that she had been a mother.

They'd reached their destination and she stomped the snow off her boots before they entered the cafe. It was extremely busy inside, with at the Metropolites packed in away from the bitter cold. Her eyes lit on him without trouble and she remembered how she once told him how baffled she was that anyone ever bought the disguise. He looked like a hulk in the small wooden chair.

He had spotted her and she could see the twinkle in his eye that the glasses never disguised as she closed the distance between them and they embraced tightly.

"It's good to see you back in Metropolis." Clark said as they finally parted.

His companion was none other than the indomitable Lois Lane of the Daily Planet. She knelt down in front of the little girl and smiled warmly although slightly superficially. "Kalispera, Cina. Me lene Lois."

The gesture was appreciated by the girl and her smile crinkled her eyes.

Lois was already back on her feet and gave Diana a brief hug. "How'd I do?"

Diana had almost forgotten about the email she had sent to Clark and the gesture is even more appreciated by her. "Very well for a beginner."

Cina struggled to climb onto the booth in her bulky snowsuit and Clark watched in bemusement. "She looks ready for Antarctica."

Diana smiled a bit sheepishly. "It _is_ a lot warmer in Greece." She reached over and freed her from her hood, hat and scarf. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Lois's face register some surprise and then smile and she knew exactly why. The point was further emphasized as Cina shook her head and sent the bright red ringlets cascading around her face. She knew her daughter looked nothing like her. It didn't bother her.

"Her hair is beautiful." Lois commented.

"It was quite a surprise." she acknowledged what she knew Lois wanted to hear.

Clark knew well enough where it came from but remained silent. And both women knew all that he didn't say.

Lois would never refuse the opening. "Any word from him?" She tried to appear casual, posed the question as she sipped her water but her eyes glinted in feral reporter mode.

"I receive papers from the lawyers here and there that he's signed but to answer your true question, he hasn't called or visited." Diana served the ball back into her court.

"Does he even know..." she trailed off and glanced at Cina who threatened to overturn a glass of water.

Diana pulled it down and flicked the straw towards her. "He knows." She doesn't feel like elaborating further than that. For almost two years she'd regretted that day in the mansion...

Clark saw the darkened look in her eyes and jumped in. "How is Greece? You're living in Cyprus right?"

"It's beautiful and yes, in a small villa in Paphos." Diana relaxed against the booth. "Cina is very popular there and I am not."

"That much was apparent from the pictures you sent." Lois slid into the conversation effortlessly. "She seems to garner a lot of attention."

Clark remembered the photos which seemed to have a certain theme, almost all taken in a restaurant or cafe. "And food."

Diana chuckled. "It helps when everyone treats her like a tiny Greek Princess."

He glanced over at Cina. "She _is_ a tiny Greek Princess."

"I thought that was Diana, except for the tiny part."

"She's the Themysciran Princess."

Lois cocked a brow. "That _is_ part of Greece."

"Not one they officially recognize." Diana shrugged. "It's good to see you both. I've missed everyone here."

Clark smiled. _Trust Diana to cut immediately to the heart of the matter. _It's one of the things he loved about her. And one of the things he'd missed most. "Everyone misses you as well. It's hard not to drop-in when we're on missions in the area."

"That would certainly give my neighbors something to talk about." Diana could sense something about them had changed. "How are you two? I've monopolized this conversation for long enough."

"Where to begin?" Clark smiled over at Lois. "Lois got promoted and I got Lois's old job."

Diana smiled wider. "That's wonderful. Congratulations to you both."

"Thanks." Lois gave a nod. "I wasn't expecting it but the money really helps. We could be in the market for a house in a year or so."

"There are a few nice ones in Greece I know of..."

Lois grinned "What do you think, Smallville?"

He stared back at both women. "Greece is a long way."

"For you?" Diana arched a brow. "You _are_ getting lazy in your old age."

Clark calmly sipped his water and rose about the jeer. "Ha Ha. It would become a bit repetitive commuting to Metropolis as much as it needs me."

The trio's attention was drawn back to the little girl who wiggled and bobbed her head to the music. She smiled widely when she saw that she had their attention.

Lois watched and found herself smiling, surprised by the girl's exuberance. With her parentage, she would have pictured her being far more reserved and introverted. Diana was always polite, but she knew there was a lot the Amazon kept back and Lex, well, Lex had more secrets than all the wishing fountains in Greater Metropolis combined. And for a reason she couldn't quite explain Cina seemed to have taken a shine to her.

"Krino!" Cina pointed to Lois's necklace and plopped down in the reporter's lap to peer closely at it.

"Krino?" Lois asked in a grunt. _She really is hefty for her size._

"Kitrino." Diana corrected "It means yellow. We're working on colors in her playgroup.

"Playgroup?" Lois's smile widened as she imagined Wonder Woman sitting around with a bunch of pregnant ladies and small children. _Playing parachute games or with gluesticks or whatever it is parents do at those things. _

The Amazon just smiled and glanced at her daughter. She would've had similar thoughts if anyone told her three or four years ago that she would be sitting in a cafe with a daughter, a husband and a house in Greece. About as far away from the Justice League and hero life as one could get.

"She's so lively. And so absolutely beautiful." Lois smiled.

Cina finished her bread and Clark glanced outside "It's getting late, we should probably head back to the apartment before the storm starts blowing."

Diana nodded and grabbed her duffle bag.

"Let me get that." Clark said.

She arched a brow, Lois shrugged. "Alright, thank you." Diana nodded and handed it over.

Lois helped bundle Cina back into her snowsuit and took her hand as they walked back into the snow.

Clark slung the bag over his shoulder as they trudged through the snow toward their apartment. "You going to visit Bruce while you're here?"

"I hope so." Diana smiled.

The group paused as Cina stopped abruptly to watch the miniature train in a toystore display window.

Diana knelt down and watched it with her "Neat aren't they?" she mused in Greek, so entranced by Cina's joy that she didn't even see the reflection of the limo as it pulled up behind them.


End file.
